Sandbox, Contemporary Eco House, Aldeburgh, Suffolk

This contemporary eco house is situated in the beautiful coastal town of Aldeburgh in Suffolk. The new build low energy house replaces a previous dated 1960s 2 storey dwelling.

The design incorporates staggered simple box forms using local materials of red brick but reinterprets these into modern shapes and pattens. It is largely single storey and simple in form with the two storey section minimised in size and kept away from boundaries central in the plot. The dwelling’s height and position within its context means it is largely unseen from public view.

The importance of views on wellbeing is considered in the design with inward looking spaces to the more intimate rear garden and outward looking spaces to the South meadow garden beyond from bedroom, kitchen and living areas. Occupants can then choose privacy or view dependant on requirements. The house features a beautiful interior swimming pool and leisure area lit by overhead natural lighting via large rooflights.

The house ground floor/ plinth and floor is thermal mass heavy, which ensures daytime heat and heat gains are stored by the building and then omitted at night or in cooler periods. This thermal mass design thus prevents overheating during the day and low temperatures at night. The house effectively absorbs the excesses and large temperature changes. The house is highly insulated, airtight, mechanically ventilated with heat recovery and a full photovoltaic system is included generating 7KW of energy. This electricity will be used in the dwelling via a smart switch and also to charge electric cars and an on site battery.